Our Communities

In addition to our own employees, we work with hundreds of partners, thousands of suppliers, and millions of farmers around the world. Our aim is to help develop thriving and resilient communities as part of a secure, long-term supply chain.

Our 2030 ambition: Help to improve 30 million livelihoods in communities directly connected to our business activities

Around the world, our ambition to improve livelihoods and develop thriving communities starts with education. We work with local groups and partners, particularly in rural areas, to support farmers and their families. We provide training for farmers, both men and women, and give their children access to education to help them build a brighter future.

Supporting thriving communities starts in our own neighborhoods. Nestlé employees are all members of the communities in which we live and work and thus foster a culture of volunteerism and helping others. More than 7,000 employee volunteers around the country serve local nonprofits in their communities, especially those focused on hunger and food security and childhood health. From community outreach days and regular employee service to disaster relief aid and supporting food security in our neighborhoods, we pride ourselves on helping to enable thriving communities. Our annual Nestlé Cares day of service unites our operating companies to make a difference through more than 150 events nationwide.

In 2017, more than 5,000 Nestlé employees spent the day away from their typical work routine to volunteer as we partnered with Feeding America, the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in the U.S., to support local food banks and non-profit organizations that provide nutritious foods to families in need.

To support the victims of Hurricane Florence, Nestlé donated $75,000 to relief efforts on the ground, more than 850,000 bottles of water and more than 12,000 pounds of pet food and litter to assist in the storm’s aftermath.

Opportunity building, diversity, and inclusion are integral to Nestlé’s culture. We aim to provide a safe, rewarding workplace that inspires employees to fulfill their potential. In 2015, we launched our career acceleration program, Project Opportunity , in the US. It is designed to help people of all ages gain work experience and strengthen their skills in our industry. One area of focus for us is the veteran community. We believe that military values like a sense of purpose and mission, collaboration, and agility, can cross over into a civilian work experience. And we know that veterans and transitioning military members make Nestlé better.

Through apprenticeships and skill-building, we support the development of the communities where we live and work, while ensuring our talent pipeline. This brings diversity and new skills to the organization and supports local innovation and entrepreneurship.

Through Project Opportunity, we’ve established Nestlé in the U.S. as an employer of choice for veterans, supporting them with employment and training opportunities, which build upon their already impressive skills. We’re proud to employ more than 2,400 veterans across our operating companies.

Nestlé USA and Nestlé Purina, scoring 90/100 and 100/100, respectively, are proud to be among top U.S. businesses embracing inclusive policies for LGBT workers, as highlighted in the 2017 Corporate Equality Index report.

With consumers and other stakeholders caring more about where their food comes from and how it is produced, responsible sourcing continues to be an important tenant of how Nestlé does business. A cornerstone of this commitment to responsible sourcing is measuring our progress through supplier audits that track supplier improvements, transparency, our commitment to compliance, and steady progress toward our performance goals. At the same time, we focus on investing in the communities we source from through building and repairing schools, empowering co-ops, and training community members in order to create a positive and secure future for our partners.

Globally, we have more than four million farmers in our supply chain and we work directly with approximately 700,000 of them. To help secure a long term supply of high quality raw materials for our foods and beverages, we work to understand where and how our ingredients are produced, support the farmers who supply us, and drive rural development. We include in this process our commitment to continue to improve animal welfare and, in 2017, we set new goals in this regard.

Our aim is to source all our eggs from cage-free hens for all our food products in the U.S. by 2020.

By 2024, we will strive to source all of the broiler chickens we use as ingredients for our U.S. food portfolio from sources meeting a higher standard of animal welfare, building on our global Commitment on Farm Animal Welfare.

Where we make an impact

Driven by our company purpose to enhance quality of life and contribute to a healthier future, we have defined three overarching ambitions which will guide our work towards achieving our 2020 commitments and supporting the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Our global efforts in these areas are supported through 42 commitments.